July 2, 2002
Christine Moore Killed by Blow to Head
http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=842275
It's a major part of the puzzle in the search to find out who killed LSU Graduate Student Christine Moore. After weeks of forensic tests, Tuesday Moore's remains were released back into the custody of the East Baton Rouge Coroner's office.
Dr. Louis Cataldie says the fracture found on Moore's skull indicates that she was killed by a very strong, blow to the head with a blunt object.
Moore's remains have been placed at the Coroner's Mobile Disaster Unit and this is where they will stay until Moore's family claims them. Dr. Cataldie says they were able to recover about 75 percent of Moore's body from the crime scene and although portions of her bones had been ravaged by animals, Cataldie says for the most part they were intact. In fact he says her skull was completely intact.
Dr. Cataldie says the fracture found on her skull was several inches long which means the hit was in fact strong enough to kill her.
"I think it was a blunt injury. Now how do you get a blunt force injury? you could be pushed up against a wall, you could be hit with a fish or something very blunt like that. A sharp object like a hatchet or a knife would have left a totally different type of injury than a blunt force injury," said Dr. Cataldie, EBRP Coroner.
While Dr. Cataldie says investigators can not say exactly how Christine Moore died, he says her injury is similar to what is called a blitz attack in which an attacker overcomes the victim by hitting them on the head. But he says at this point it is hard to tell whether the blow happened before or after the body was discovered simply because it was so badly decomposed at the time.
Her father says he will make the trip with the funeral home next Wednesday to pick up her remains. He says her funeral will be held July 12th in New Orleans. Mr. Moore says the outpouring of concern for his family has been tremendous and he says he anticipates having a great deal to say after he lays his daughter to rest.
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